KARACHI, Aug 16: Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCEA) is holding a three-day “regional hand-knotted carpet exhibition” from August 28-30, at Karachi Expo Centre.

Abdul Ghafoor Sajid, the chairman, PCEA, said that carpet exports had increased to $283 million 2004-05, as against $232 million recorded a year ago.

He said that Punjab has increased its share in carpet exports from 15 per cent to 75 per cent, while Sindh suffered on equal ratio because of poor law and order situation and involvement of multiple institutions of federal and provincial governments.

The carpet exhibition 2004 held at Lahore, helped exporters increase their exports by $50 million as fairly large number of foreign buyers visited the fair. This indicates that better low and order situation and one window operations facilitate trade and exports.

Abdul Ghafoor Sajid said that Punjab and especially Lahore had already set up industrial units for enhancing their carpet exports to the Western countries.

Similarly, he said, the PCEA with the assistance of Ministry of Commerce was trying to set up carpet units for which a land would be acquired in the vicinity of Korangi Industrial Area.

Once carpet manufacturing units were established it would promote the trade in organized sector and this would build the confidence of buyers and exporters and would also help increase Sindh’s share in carpet exports.